What Are the Benefits of a Child Psychologist?

Depression, anxiety and trouble coping with the death of a loved one plague young minds as well as old. Just as adults can benefit from the help of a therapist to recognize and understand their thoughts and feelings, children can also receive benefits. There are also mental health problems that belong to children alone. And because children lack the awareness of the concept of mental health, it can make what they're going through more confusing and difficult than it would if they were older. Different kinds of therapy from a child psychologist can help children and their families cope with any number of ordeals.

General Benefits of Therapy

• When children display traits such as being withdrawn, moody, losing interest in previously enjoyed activities and other behavioral problems, it can be impossible to tell what the cause is. Their resistance to communicate, or their inability to do so, can be mitigated through therapy. There are everyday stresses associated with school work, socializing and home life that can also be helped with therapy. When the child trusts his therapist, his doorways to communication can be opened. By talking about his feelings and ideas, a child can work through stress, anger and the other mental pitfalls of difficult situations, allowing him to lead a healthier and happier childhood than he otherwise would.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Pyschoanalytic Therapy

• One form of therapy that child psychologists use is cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). This method helps children and teens who are coping with stress, anxiety or depression. The idea is to reframe negative thoughts into more positive, effective thinking. Some therapy involves relaxation training and stress management mechanisms.

  Psychoanalytic therapy is not often used with children, but it can benefit teens and young adults. Otherwise known as "talk" therapy, the therapist will use in-depth analysis to help the child work through her personal problems. Just being able to "vent" about her problems to a trusted source can alleviate stress as well as reduce anger and isolation.

Benefits of Group and Family Therapy

• At times a child psychologist will lead group and family therapy. Group therapy can help children through anger management exercises while at the same time facilitating improvement in general social skills. Family therapy can help a child reduce isolation by talking with family members through a therapist-led discussion. This can be particularly helpful when the child's problems have been determined to be home based, such as a divorce or abuse suffered in the home. This therapy can help to improve communication skills through problem-solving techniques. Parents can also put themselves back in a position of authority that has been lost.